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EAS1600 Spring 2014
Lab 07
“Deep Ocean Circulation”
Objectives
In this lab we will investigate how variations in (1) seawater temperature and (2)
salinity play a role in establishing vertical circulation of the ocean. We will also examine the
details of how evaporation and the formation of ice affect water salinity and density. Then, we
will demonstrate that surface water mixing causes a change in density and, therefore, also plays
a role in the vertical circulation of the ocean. At the end of this lab, you should be able to:
 distinguish between surface and deep-ocean circulation and their driving forces;
 identify factors that affect seawater density;
 understand how changes in density lead to the development the vertical motions;
 describe how seawater salinity and temperature varies with latitude and depth of the
oceans;
 understand the impact that ocean circulation has on climate and understand the basics
of how human activity can influence ocean circulation.
Theoretical Background
When compared to the Atmosphere, the structure of the Ocean seems very stable. The
ocean is heated by the Sun from above, so the warmest waters are usually at the ocean’s
surface (at the top of the water layer), while the coldest and most saline waters are located on
the ocean floor (at the bottom of the water layer). Therefore, external forces are required to
start the vertical motion of ocean waters.
Surface ocean currents are driven by the wind and modified by the rotation of the
Earth, the presence of shorelines, and some other factors. These currents resemble rivers
because they can be either colder or warmer than the surrounding ocean waters and don’t mix
with them. Further, surface currents move only the upper several hundred meters of the ocean.
The best known example of a surface current is the Gulf Stream which brings warm water from
the tropics to the north of Europe. There are more than 50 important currents in five of the
Earth’s oceans (the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern and the Arctic Oceans).
Deep-ocean circulation occurs on a much longer time scales then surface currents. It
takes around 1000 years for deep water to go around the ocean’s conveyor belt (another name
for deep-ocean circulation). Deep-ocean is driven by changes in water density due to variations
in salinity and temperature; because of this, it is sometimes referred to as Thermohaline
circulation (halinos means salt in Greek). These density changes are subtle, but very important.
Deep-ocean circulation starts with the production of dense (cold and salty) water at high
latitudes, which is a result of the sea-ice formation. This dense water sinks to the bottom of the
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ocean, while less dense water replaces it at the surface, as required by conservation of mass
principle. The world map with a diagram of Thermohaline circulation is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Diagram of deep-ocean circulation
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Thermohaline_Circulation_2.png , Robert Simmon, NASA.
Minor modifications by Robert A. Rohde)
Salinity. The term solution refers to a mixture of one substance, solute, that is
uniformly distributed within another substance, called solvent. A the solute is usually some
kind of solid substance, for example sugar or table salt, and the solvent is a liquid, most often
pure water.
The density of the solution usually increases as the amount of dissolved solids increases
because the total mass increases without a proportional increase in the volume of the solution.
In Oceanography, the salinity describes how much dissolved salts are contained in the
ocean water. In these laboratory experiments salinity will be measured as Total Dissolved
Solid (TDS). This quantity represents the ratio of the mass of solute m (total amount of salt) to
the mass of solvent (pure water) m0 :
TDS = m/m0 [‰],
TDS is usually reported in units of parts per thousand (denoted as ppt or ‰). Sometimes
alternative units are used, for example g/L or Practical Salinity Scale units (abbreviated as PSS
or PSU). The latter is determined based on conductivity of the water sample and is close in
value (but not exactly the same) to the ppt units. Ocean salinity varies between 30 and 40 PSU
in different parts of the World Ocean and is higher in the internal seas with little river runoff,
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like the Mediterranean, and in subtropical areas with low precipitation and high evaporation
(values of salinity are shown as color shading in Figure 1).
The salts in the ocean water are mostly NaCl (sodium chloride or table salt), with small
amounts of Magnesium, Potassium, Sulfur, Calcium, Bromine and several other ions. The
amount of dissolved salts is almost constant over the oceans, while the amount of solvent (pure
water) can vary due to evaporation, precipitation, the formation and melting of ice, and the
addition of low-salinity water by continental runoff, as illustrated in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Processes that affect seawater salinity: evaporation and precipitation, sea ice
formation, iceberg melting, river runoff.
Temperature. Temperature is another parameter that determines the density of water, and
therefore plays an important role in deep-water circulation. Unlike salinity, temperatures are
much easier to measure. Surface water temperature can be determined remotely by satellite
(sea surface temperature, or SST) via measuring the amount of infrared radiation emitted by
water.
In different parts of the World Ocean temperature of surface water changes more
significantly than salinity– it can be lower than 0 C in polar areas and as warm as +30 C at the
equator. Deep water temperatures are low at all latitudes, and range between 0 C and +5 C.
Online exercises/activities
http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/goto?10031 and http://www.cmar.csiro.au/currents/
deep-water circulation in several formats and resolutions.
– animations of
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Experiment Setup
Using the TDS meter to measure the salinity:
Figure 3. TDS-meter and probe. Two stainless steel stripes at the end of the probe are to be
completely submerged into the liquid.
To measure the Total Dissolved Solids in ppm or ppt:
1. Rinse the probe with de-ionized or distilled water. Shake the probe carefully to remove
the water.
2. Turn the TDS-meter on by pressing the “
” switch. The screen will show several
constants/parameters used for measuring, then all LCD segments will light up for 2
seconds, and then TDS-meter will change to measurement mode.
3. You are now ready for TDS measurements.
4. To measure the salinity of your solution, pour it into a 50 ml beaker, tilt it and carefully
immerse the probe. Make sure the two stainless steel stripes at the end of the probe are
completely submerged into the solution. Wait for ~30 seconds for the measured value
to and the range to stabilize.
5. To switch between TDS and Temperature measurements press “MODE” button.
6. After taking the measurements, turn the TDS-meter off by pressing the “
” switch
and rinse the probe with de-ionized or distilled water.
Be very careful with the probe. It is fragile!
Do not hit the probe against anything to remove the water!
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Safety precautions
There are several things to remember in order to stay safe during this lab:
- Handle the glass beakers, thermometers and the TDS-meter probe with care.
- There should be no water spills on the table where the equipment is set up. Clean all
spills immediately.
- The electric bulb used in the experiments can get very hot during the operation, so make
sure not to touch it.
- Turn off the bulb as soon as you are done with your measurements. Do not leave it on
unattended.
- Water used for the experiment in Part 2 can be hot and can cause burns if spilled on the
skin. Pour the water from the electric kettle slowly and carefully.
- Check the Styrofoam cups before the experiment – look if they are in good condition
with no cracks or holes. If your cups are in poor condition, let the lab instructor know
immediately.
Sequence of Procedures:
Part 1: Setting up the experiments for the effects of Evaporation and Ice
Formation on Salinity
1. Record the mass of the clean, dry 200-ml beaker. Pour 100 ml of pure water into the
200-ml beaker. Use the electronic scales to get the exact weight of the water (remember
you should subtract the mass of the empty beaker). Record the exact mass of water used
in Table 4 on the page 16 of this lab manual. (Note: the water should be deionized or
distilled, i.e. should not contain any dissolved solids).
2. Weigh out about 4 grams of salt using the electronic scales. Record the exact mass of
salt.
3. Add the salt to the water and stir until the salt is completely dissolved. Calculate the
concentration of the salt solution (g/L).
4. Measure the TDS of the prepared solution by using the TDS-meter (refer to page 4 on
the TDS measurements). Record the value in Table 4.
5. Pour about half of the solution into the provided Petri dish.
6. Place the lamp ~ 10-15 cm above the Petri dish and turn the lamp on. Record the
evaporation start time in Table 4. Come back to check on the condition of the setup in
20-30 minutes. If a noticeable amount of water has evaporated, stop the experiment and
proceed to Part 4.
7. Pour the remaining salt solution into a 50-ml beaker. Note: use only the glass beaker!
You need to use the glass beaker in order to accelerate the heat exchange through the
walls, and thus accelerate freezing.
8. Put a label on the beaker and sign it to distinguish from the other team’s beakers.
9. Measure the temperature and TDS using the TDS-meter and record the values in Table
5 on the page 16 of this lab manual.
10. Give the beaker to your lab instructor who will put it into the freezer for about 30 min
to one hour. Periodically check the beaker – if thick ice has formed in the surface, stop
the experiment and proceed to Part 5.
11. Proceed to Part 2.
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Part 2: The Effect of Temperature on Water Density
Procedure:
1. Fill the tank with ~11-12 cm of room temperature water. Measure the temperature of
the water and record it in the Table 1 below.
2. Prepare ice water by adding ice to a beaker with tap water.
3. Fill a Styrofoam cup half-full with the ice water. Add green food coloring and stir until
it reaches a dark shade of green (~5-10 drops). Record the temperature and color of
the ice water in Table 1.
4. Fill another Styrofoam cup half-full with hot water (~ 65-75oC). Add red food coloring
and stir until it reaches a dark shade of red (~ 5-10 drops). Record the temperature and
color of hot water in Table 1.
5. Draw some colored ice water into the syringe. Place the tip of the tubing just beneath
the surface of the water in the tank and slowly add the cold water to the tank. Record
your observations.
6. Again, draw some ice water into the syringe. Place the tip of the tubing near the bottom
of the tank and slowly add the cold water to the tank. Record your observations.
7. Rinse out the syringe with tap water. You will need to do this each time you change
solutions (colors).
8. Repeat steps 5 and 6 with the colored hot water.
9. Do not stir up the tank. Observe distribution of colors and write down your
observations.
10. Carefully empty the tank and rinse it out with tap water.
Figure 4. Setup for the experiment Part 2.
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Table 1.
Sample
Tank water
Temperature,
C
Observations
Color
Added to top of the
tank
-
Added to bottom
of the tank
-
Ice water
Hot water
Questions:
Question 1. Describe what you observed in your experiment after you added colored ice
water to the top of the tank. (2 pts).
Question 2. Describe what you observed in your experiment after you added colored ice
water to the bottom of the tank. (2 pts).
Question 3. Describe what you observed in your experiment after you added colored hot
water to the top of the tank. (2 pts).
Question 4. Describe what you observed in your experiment after you added colored hot
water to the bottom of the tank. (2 pts).
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Question 5. Explain, why was the colored water moving in your experiment? (2 pts).
Question 6. What basic physical concepts and principles were driving the motion of the water
in your experiment? (2 pts).
Question 7. How does temperature affect the density of the water? (2 pts).
Question 8. Think about surface water temperatures and densities at the equator and at the
polar areas. Where do you expect to find sinking and where - rising motions? (2 pts).
Part 3: The Effect of Salinity on Water Density
Procedure:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Fill the tank with ~11-12 cm of room temperature water.
Fill a 100 ml beaker with ~ 95 ml of room temperature water.
Weigh out 4 grams of table salt (NaCl). Record the exact mass of the salt in Table 2.
Add the salt to the water and stir until the salt is completely dissolved.
Determine the density of the prepared salt solution by measuring its mass and exact
volume.
a. Pour the solution into a 100 ml graduated cylinder. Measure and record (in
Table 2) the exact volume by looking at the bottom of the meniscus when the
meniscus is at eye level.
b. Record the mass of the clean, dry 100-ml beaker. Pour the solution into the
beaker and record the exact mass of solution in Table 2. Don’t forget to subtract
the mass of the empty beaker.
c. Calculate the density of the solution. Remember that density is a measure of the
mass per unit volume, g/cm3.
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6. Measure the salinity of the prepared solution by using the conductivity/TDS meter.
Refer to page 4 on the TDS measurements. Record the value in Table 2.
7. Add green food coloring to the solution while stirring, until it reaches a dark shade of
green. Record the color in Table 2.
8. Prepare a saturated salt solution. Start with a 100-ml beaker of room temperature tap
water and slowly add table salt. Stir the table salt into the water, and continue stirring
and adding salt until no more will enter the solution.
9. Add red food coloring to your saturated salt solution.
10. Measure the density and salinity of the saturated solution. Refer to steps 5-6 above.
Record your data in Table 2.
11. Fill the syringe with ~30 ml of the 4g salt solution. Place the tip of the tubing just
beneath the surface of the water in the tank and slowly add the salt solution to the tank.
Record your observations in Table 2.
12. Rinse out the syringe and then refill it with ~30 ml of the saturated salt solution. Place
the tip of the tubing just beneath the surface of the water in the aquarium and slowly
add the salt solution to the tank. Record your observations in Table 2.
13. Observe the movement of the water. Keep observing until all the water movements stop
completely.
14. Measure the TDS (total dissolved solid) at the water surface, and then at 2 cm, 4 cm,
6 cm, and 8 cm below the surface by using the conductivity/TDS meter. Record your
results in Table 3. Your TA will provide instructions on how to use meter. Rinse the
TDS probe with clean water after taking your measurements. Be careful with the probe.
Do not shake the probe to remove the water!
Table 2 [5 points]
4g salt
solution
saturated salt
solution
Mass of salt, g
Depth, cm
TDS, ppt
0 (surface)
Color
Density and salinity determination:
Volume of solution, cm
Table 3 [5 points]
2
3
Mass of solution, g
4
Density, g/cm3
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Salinity (TDS-meter) ppt
8
10
Observations
(when solution was
added to the tank)
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Questions:
Question 9. Based on what you have observed in your experiment, how does the density of
the 4g salt solution differ from the pure water density? (2 pts).
Question 10. Based on what you have observed in your experiment, how does the density of
the saturated saline water differ from the density of the 4g salt solution? (2 pts).
Question 11.Where did saturated saline water end up at the very end of the experiment? (2
pts).
Part 4: The Effect of Evaporation on Salinity
Procedure (continued from page 5):
1. Rinse and dry a 50-ml beaker. Pour the solution from the Petri dish into the 50ml
beaker. Record the evaporation stop time in Table 4. Rinse the Petri dish.
2. Give the solution some time to cool down to room temperature if it’s hot. Measure the
TDS of the solution using the conductivity/TDS meter. Record the value in Table 4.
Questions:
Question 12. What can be inferred from your experiment about the effect of evaporation on
the salinity of the water? (2 pts).
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Question 13. Where does the salt go during the process of evaporation? (2 pts).
Question 14. Compare the salinity of rainwater and ocean water.
(2 pts).
Question 15. In some location, where evaporation/precipitation balance have changed so
evaporation is now higher than precipitation, will the salinity of the ocean increase or
decrease? (2 pts).
Question 16. Given that the salinity of ocean water is highest at the surface in the tropics,
what can be inferred about the evaporation in tropics? (2 pts).
Question 17. Besides increasing the salinity, in what other way does the evaporation effect
the solution? (2 pts).
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Part 5: The Effect of Ice Formation on Salinity
Procedure:
1. Remove your salt solution from the freezer (at this point it should have stayed in the
freezer for at least 30 minutes). Break the surface layer of ice and decant the liquid into
a clean 50ml beaker. Let the solution warm up to room temperature.
2. Measure the temperature of the liquid. Next, measure the salinity by placing the TDS
probe inside the beaker. Record the values in Table 5 on page 16.
3. Carefully rinse the TDS probe and all the glassware used in your
experiments.
Questions:
Question 18. What can be inferred from your experiment about the effect of ice formation on
the salinity of the water? (2 pts).
Question 19. Where does the salt go during the process of ice formation? (2 pts).
Question 20. How does formation of surface ice in the Arctic and Antarctic oceans contribute
to deep-ocean circulation? (2 pts).
Question 21. If global warming were to increase the temperature of the Earth such that
Greenland glaciers would melt, how would this affect deep-ocean circulation? (2 pts).
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Part 6: Temperature-Salinity Diagram, Surface Water Mixing
(partially adopted from : http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/education/activities/ts2ssac3.pdf)
Procedure:
1. Examine the Temperature-Salinity (T-S) Diagram shown in Figure 5 below.
Temperature is plotted along the vertical axis in degrees Celsius. Salinity is measured
along the horizontal axis in parts per thousand (o/oo) or numerically-equal Practical
Salinity Units (PSU). Seawater density (g/cm3) is shown on the diagram by curved
lines of constant density. The value of each curved line appears immediately above
each line. Note that temperature and salinity together govern the density of seawater.
2. On the T-S Diagram, each seawater sample is plotted as a dot at the point determined
by its temperature and salinity. Find the temperature and the salinity for two surface
seawater samples labeled “A” and “B”, and record these values in Table 6.
3. The density of seawater samples must be determined to several decimal places in order
to detect significant differences. Read from the T-S Diagram the densities for the two
surface seawater samples labeled “A” and “B” to the fourth decimal place. Record
these values in Table 6. Note that their densities are the same, even though their
temperatures and salinities are different.
4. If samples of the same density are brought together, they tend to mix. The temperature
and salinity of the resulting mixture are somewhere between the temperatures and
salinities of the original waters prior to mixing. On the T-S Diagram, draw a straight
line between the points representing samples “A” and “B”. Any possible mixture of
these seawater samples, including sample “C”, would be represented by a point falling
somewhere on the straight line, connecting A and B.
5. Find and record in Table 6 the temperature and salinity of a water sample “C” that
would result if equal volumes of samples “A” and “B” were mixed together. (Hint:
Mixing one liter of 10°C water with one liter of 30°C water produces two liters of water
at 20°C).
6. Plot the new sample “C” on the T-S Diagram.
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Figure 5. Temperature-Salinity diagram. Your graph on this figure will be worth 5 points.
(source: http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/education/activities/ts2ssac3.pdf )
Questions:
Question 22. According to the T-S Diagram, the density of sample “C” is (choose one from
the following and circle the letter that best corresponds to your answer ) (2 pts):
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
1.0265 g/cm3
1.02675 g/cm3 .
1.02725 g/cm3.
1.0275 g/cm3.
1.02775 g/cm3.
1.0280 g/cm3.
1.02825 g/cm3.
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H.
Question 23. Comparison of the seawater densities recorded in Table 6 shows that the density
of sample “C” is (choose one from the following and circle the letter that best corresponds to
your answer) (2 pts):
A. Less than the density of samples “A” and “B” prior to mixing.
B. Equal to the density of samples “A” and “B” prior to mixing.
C. Greater than the density of samples “A” and “B” prior to mixing.
Question 24. Regardless of the relative volumes of seawater samples “A” and “B” mixed
together, the T-S Diagram shows the resulting mixture will always be (choose one from the
following and circle the letter that best corresponds to your answer) (2 pts):
A. Denser than either “A” or “B”.
B. Less dense than either “A” or “B”.
Question 25. Any resulting mixture of these original samples will (choose one from the
following and circle the letter that best corresponds to your answer ) (2 pts):
A. Remain at the ocean surface.
B. Sink.
Question 26. This investigation shows that mixing surface seawaters of the same density, but
different temperatures and salinities, produces seawater of (choose one from the following and
circle the letter that best corresponds to your answer ) (2 pts):
A. Greater density.
B. Equal density.
C. Lesser density.
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Part 7: Mixing at the strait of Gibraltar
Procedure:
The Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean meet, is a
place where different masses of water are forced to mix due to the mechanical mixing (Figure
6). For the provided temperatures and salinities in Table 7, determine the densities of the
Atlantic and Mediterranean waters, and the density of the waters that would form as the result
of mixing the Mediterranean and Atlantic waters. Use the Temperature-Salinity Diagram and
record the obtained densities in Table 7.
(source: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/reference_maps/africa.html)
Figure 6. Strait of Gibraltar.
Questions:
Question 27. Predict what would happen to water that moves from the Mediterranean Sea into
the Atlantic Ocean. (2 pts):
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Table 4 (5 points)
Volume of water (L)
Mass of salt (g)
Concentration of solution (g/L)
TDS before evaporation (‰)
Evaporation Start Time
Evaporation Stop Time
TDS after evaporation (‰)
Table 5 (4 points)
Temperature
(C)
Step 1
TDS (Salinity)
(‰)
Step 4
Table 6 (3 points)
Temperature
(C)
A
Salinity
(‰)
Density
(g/cm3)
B
C
Table 7 (3 points)
Mediterranean side
Sample temperature
(C)
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Sample salinity
(‰)
34.89
Atlantic Side
5
34.15
Density
(g/cm3)
Mixture
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Conclusions on the lab
1. Based on what you learned in this lab, draw a diagram that depicts ocean water
salinity change with depth in the polar areas of Atlantic Ocean, where the surface
ice formation is taking place (3 pts.)
2. On the same diagram, add a graph that depicts ocean water salinity change with
depth in the subtropics. Label your graphs. (3 pts.)
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